April 23, 2012. CHARLOTTE — Boone, N.C. resident Carol Capristo was one of 30 local cancer survivors to take the runway in the American Cancer Society’s inaugural Cure By Design event held in Charlotte on Saturday, March 24, 2012, at the Urban Garden adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton Charlotte hotel.

Cure By Design brings the fashion, design and retail communities together with the local corporate community. The focus of this special evening was a fashion show spotlighting designer fashions and, more importantly, local cancer survivors modeling them. The survivor models demonstrated the progress being made in the fight against cancer and portrayed a message of hope for a cure.

“Cure By Design is ALL about the survivors,” said internationally renowned fashion designer Alex Garfield, who developed the event and has helped coordinate it in various cities. “I understand that fashion can be exciting, but for me, and once anyone experiences a Cure By Design event, it’s ALL about the models’ courage; and the love and tears of joy shared in the room.”

The prestigious event included an elegant reception, live and silent auctions and the survivors’ fashion show. All proceeds are benefitting the American Cancer Society. Sponsorships in a variety of levels are available for next year’s event. For further information, please visit curebydesigncharlotte.org or call 704-552-6147.

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.